Department for Transport

Cycle to Work Scheme

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to increase take-up of the Cycle to Work Scheme in line with their priorities around boosting active travel.

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what joint working, if any, is taking place across Government to unlock additional benefits of the Cycle to Work Scheme to (1) support workers with the rising cost of commuting, and (2) drive outcomes in (a) public health, and (b) reducing carbon emissions.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Cycling to work can reduce the costs of commuting whilst improving physical and mental health for employees and can help reduce carbon emissions. The Cycle to Work scheme enables people do this more cost effectively and in 2019 the Department revised the guidance on the scheme to make it simpler for employers to offer it to their employees.The Department regularly promotes the Cycle to Work Scheme and has previously commissioned Business in the Community and Sustrans to publish best practice guidance for employers and local authorities highlighting how employers can enable more of their staff to cycle to work using the scheme. The Department and HMRC are in regular contact on these and other issues and the Department regularly meets with the Cycle to Work Alliance to identify opportunities to further increase take up of the scheme.

Inland Waterways: Bridges

Lord Palmer of Childs Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the job creation and recreational opportunities of repairing broken swing bridges to allow access to inland waterways; and whether they will direct Peel Ports to repair the swing bridge in Faversham.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department has not made any specific assessment of job creation and recreational opportunities related to the repair of Faversham swing bridge. The Department has, however, been instrumental in encouraging all parties to work together and find a mutually acceptable resolution and will continue to do so.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Birds: Gun Sports

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 26 July(HL1705),what plans they have to review the close season for woodcock; and what representations they have received from (1) conservation organisations, (2) game shooting organisations, in relation to any such review.

Lord Benyon: The Secretary of State has received representations from Wild Justice and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust regarding reviewing the close season for woodcock.In their representation, dated 21 March 2022, Wild Justice requested that the Secretary of State use their power under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to vary the close season for woodcock, as they believe this would be beneficial to the recovery of the native woodcock population. In response to the letter from Wild Justice, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust wrote to the Secretary of State on 4 April 2022, setting out their view that restrictions to the close season could be counterproductive and that more research is needed to understand the reasons for the decline of native woodcock and the effects of shooting on their populations.Defra intends to review Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which lists species of birds which may be killed or taken outside a close season. In particular, consideration will be given to the evidence underpinning the listing of species such as woodcock so that we can ensure that recreational shooting is sustainable and does not undermine species recovery. This may include a review of the evidence for the timing and duration of the close season.